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Beijing rumored to woo allies with fighter technologyThe landmark inauguration of the J-20 gives Beijing not only strategic deterrence but also an advantageous position in technical cooperation
By Asia Times staff November 20, 2017

J-20 fighters and other warplanes are seen on a runway. Photo: Xinhua

It can be said that a fleet of fifth-generation stealth fighters can be the very hallmark of a top-notch air force. For quite some time the US Air Force was the only member of the elite club, with its F-22 Raptor and F-35 fighters dominating the skies since their respective inaugurations in 2005 and 2015, until the J-20 shot China into the same league this year.

Russia is apparently stuck in its decades-long development endeavor for the Sukhoi Su-57, with a slew of technical glitches, design flaws and accidents that may ground the fighter for a number of years to come.

Japan has also been following the trend to develop fifth-generation fighters with its X-2 Shinshin, albeit at an early stage, with the prototype’s maiden flight in April 2016.
The KF-X, South Korea’s second fighter development program after the FA-50, in collaboration with Indonesia is making headway, though experts say the fighter’s stealth capabilities can only be categorized as “4.5th generation.”

Nations eager to launch their own cutting-edge tactical fighter aircraft must have resolve and deep pockets.

The F-22 program cost a grand total of US$60 billion, from blueprint to mass production, and it has been reported that India is considering pulling out of co-funding for Russia’s Su-57 program as the investment now looks like a “black hole.”

The reason countries still hold on to their various fifth-generation fighter programs is all about posture, as no major power can afford to lag behind in the race to develop super-fighters, even if that means pouring in substantial resources with no guarantee of surmounting the high technical and financial threshold, PLA Daily noted in an editorial in a feature about the J-20’s inauguration in April.

Meanwhile, it has also been revealed by China News Service on its affiliated WeChat account that China may be considering sharing its J-20 technologies with allies such as Pakistan, amid the latter’s long-running feud with India as well as the strained Sino-Indian ties following a stiff face-off since June on the Doklam Plateau, a border area claimed by both Beijing and New Delhi.

Beijing may also want to compare notes on fighter development with Moscow and invest for a stake in the Su-57 program, with is now running on a shoestring budget, in exchange for the latter’s expertise in aerospace and rocket and missile development.

2) J20 & J31 BOTH were evaluated by PAF, so I think this news is quite credible, and I hope we see the J20 in PAF colors soon!

One news that came out of China, was that the J31 could actually be abandoned, and all resources diverted to the J20. I doubted this when I heard it, but now this seems to be a possiblity. Not total abandonment, but maybe on the back burner for the moment.

My views on this forum are strictly my personal opinions, and do not reflect that of any institution.